President Donald J. Trump Signs Major Disaster Declaration for Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to supplement Commonwealth and local response efforts to the emergency conditions in the area affected by earthquakes beginning on Dec. 28, 2019, and continuing.

The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the municipalities of Guanica, Guayanilla, Penuelas, Ponce, Utuado, and Yauco. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to the Commonwealth, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the municipalities of Guanica, Guayanilla, Penuelas, Ponce, San German, and Yauco.

Alexis Amparo has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Amparo said additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of further damage assessments.